Sulphurized-phenols and process of making



1. with caustic soda.

Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD J". CANAVAN, F WOODCLII F, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE BARRETT COM- I PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY SULPHURIZED-PHENOLS AN D PROCESS OF MAKING' No Drawing.

- tion purposes. It relates more particularly to reagents of this character that are prepared from certain tar distillates or extractions therefrom.

Those crude tars which are commercially known as coal tar, blast furnace tar, lignite tar, wood tar and others, contain acids which are commercially known as phenol, cresols and xylenols. These acids occur in those fractions of the tar distillate which are known as carbolic oil and creosote oil (both of which are sometimes designated as carbolic oil or middle oil). These acids are quite often separated from any tar distillate in which they occur, by causing them to unite Those acids to which we refer would, in most cases, be those which are extractable from the above tars or distilates by caustic soda and are referred to in the specification and claims as tar acids.

By the present invention a very satisfactory flotation reagent is produced by a process which is efficient and convenient to emloy. p In carrying out this invention an autoclave of the well known type, or any device in which may be placed materials to be heated and agitated under pressure, is used; sulphur, as such, is caused to unite therein, at an elevated temperature and pressure, with tar a "acids such as phenol, cresols and xylenols.

The resulting compound may be used in its concentrated form as a reagent for flotation purposes or may be mixed with coal tar, coal tar oil or other oil and thus used as a flotatation agent.

As an illustration of practicing my invention, but by which I have no intention of being limited, it may be stated that I have found it very efficient to carry out my process as 1 follows: Between five and six parts by weight of the tar acid to be treated and one to two parts by weight of sulphur, i. e. in amounts equivalent to about 16-40% by weight of the tar acid, are placed in an autoclave or other pressure vessel which is then closed. The

Application filed January 29, 1926. Serial No. 84,750.

temperature of the mixture is elevated by the application of heat to the mixture until the reaction takes place and is completed, H 8

being evolved. The autoclave, or whatever pressure vessel may be used, is provided with a safety valve or pressure release so adjusted as to maintain the pressure, created by the formation of H S, in the vessel. at approximately pounds pressure per square inch. One of the objects of maintaining the pressure at approximately this point is to be able to increase the temperature of the mixture to about 230 (1, at approximately which temperature the most eflicient results have been found to be obtained. In fact the materials will only react slowly at theatmospheric boiling point of the acids used. Hence, to make this method commercially possible, the elevated boiling point is neces sary.

The above proportions of the materials used apply to either the treatment of a single tar acidv (phenol, cresol or xylenol) or to a Of course, it is to mixture of these tar acids. be understood, and I have found, that these proportions may be varied over a considerable range. For instance, if the tar acid is crude, and impure, less sulphur may be required to complete the reaction, or if the sulphur used is of a poor quality, more sulphur may be required. In other words, the sulphur added is dependent upon the tar acid content of the crude acid and is added or admixed withthe crude acid preferably in sufficient tat-ion processes. It may be said, however,

that very small quantities of this reagent are suflicient for the proper flotation of a large quantity of ore.

Furthermore, this reagent can be produced uite uniform in quality and is stable under s ilppmg and storage conditions.

claim:

1. Rio recess which comprises treating tar acid with sulphur at a temperature above the atmospheric boiling point of the mixture.

2. The process which comprises treating tar acid with sulphur at a pressure greater than atmospheric and at a temperature above the atmospheric boiling point of the mixture.

3. The process which comprises agitating tar acid with sulphur at a pressure greater imam heric and at a temperature above the atmosp eric boiling point of the mixture.

-41Tle process which comprises treating aumixtsni'e of phenol, cresol and xylenol with sulphur at a pressure greater than atmospheric and at a temperature above the atmmpheric-boiling point of the mixture.

5.-'Dhc-process which comprises treating tar acid withsulphur at a pressure of ap- :3:- proximately. 50 pounds per square inch and at atemperature of approximately 230 C.

6. The process which comprises treating phenol with sulphur at a pressure greater than atmospheric and at a temperature above m the atmospheric boiling point of the mixture.

7. Theiprooess which comprises treating phenol with sulphur at a pressure of approximately-.50 pounds per square inch and at a tempnrdmreof approximately 230 C.

8. A composition of matter comprising tar aeidwhich has been treated with sulphur at aipreasuregmater than atmospheric and at aitemperature above the atmospheric boiling pu'nt-uofathe mixture.

9 Axprocess of treating tar acids which comprises admixing a sufiicient quantity of Sulphur with said acids to substantially complctely react therewith, and heating said admixtumoi acids and sul hur atatemperature m above the atmospheric oiling point of said aa'ckuntilthe reaction is substantially com- 10. A1 pro'cess of treating tar acids which admixing with said acids about pm 16-40%of their weight of sulphur, and heat ing said admixture of acids and sulphur at a' temperature of approximately 230 C. until the reaction is substantially complete.

13. A pro'cess of treating tar acids which comprises admixing with said acids about 16-40% of their weight of sulphur, and heating said admixture of acids and sulphur under pressure at a temperature of approximately 230 C. until the reaction is substantially complete.

14. A composition of matter comprising the product resulting from the reaction of tar acid with sulphur under pressure.

15. A composition of matter comprising the produ'ctresulting from the reaction of tar.

acid with sul hur at temperatures above the atmospheric oiling point of the mixture.

16. A. composition of matter comprising the product of the reaction of tar. acid with from 16% to 40% of its weight of sulphur.

17. A composition of matter comprising the product resulting from the. reactionof tar acid with from 16% to 40% of its weight of sulphur at a temperature of about 230 C. and under a pressure of about pounds per square in'ch.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWARD J. CANAVAN. 

